Earl (Bourbon Barrel Aged) - Hill Farmstead Brewery

Luk13

Quebec (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

01-09-2013 03:26:13 | More by Luk13

cadaugherty

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-07-2013 23:26:20 | More by cadaugherty

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

03-03-2013 07:32:37 | More by Kelp

wildcats10

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -1.7%

02-10-2013 19:14:27 | More by wildcats10

bklynj

New York

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%

01-20-2013 21:36:20 | More by bklynj

largadeer

California

3.5/5  rDev -14%

01-14-2013 04:40:39 | More by largadeer

trob1971

1/5  rDev -75.4%

11-04-2012 01:02:04 | More by trob1971

franklinn

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

06-08-2012 00:30:39 | More by franklinn

Jeffo

Netherlands

1.8/5  rDev -55.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Got this bottle from jedwards a while back. Cheers for the trade man, and thanks again for all the cool HF bottles. These guys are slowly becoming one of my favorite stout/porter brewers in the USA.

From a 500ml bottle into a snifter

APPEARANCE: This one slowly started to foam out after opening. A brown pour yields a huge, four finger, medium looking, light tan head with good retention. Transparent bistre brown in color, almost black, and no carbonation evident. Head is massive, but eventually fades to a rocky, foamy, bubbly thick cap and leaves some chunky lacing down the sides. A half bubbly wisp remains and leaves lots of bubbly lacing down the glass. The foaming and massive head make this one look infected.

SMELL: Definitely smells infected as well. First wiff is tart cherries and vinegar. Yikes. After a few more wiffs, there is a touch of bourbon and oak in there, as well as a light hint of cocoa powder. Still, this smells tart, which is never a good thing for this style.

TASTE: Sour and tart as well. Some roasted malts and a touch of cocoa in there, as well as oak, vanilla and bourbon from the barrel aging, but there is definitely a sour and acidic flavor that dominates it all. Tart cherries and vinegar accompany a touch of bourbon, oak anf light bitter coffee in the bold and lingering aftertaste. This is 100% infected. Unfortunate.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes slightly dry. Some acidity definitely lingers.

OVERALL: Can't imagine this was the point. While it calmed a little as it sat, this bottle is clearly infected, which is very disappointing to say the least. HF has been nothing but phenomenal so far, what with BoT, Damon, and Daybreak being spectacular, so ignoring this little blip will be easy. Be wary of searching this one out. Drain pour. Cheers again for the trade jedwards. The rest of the beers were world class.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 19:31:23 | More by Jeffo

chrispoint

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

06-06-2012 20:04:53 | More by chrispoint

funkel81

California

3.5/5  rDev -14%

05-21-2012 03:33:30 | More by funkel81

Yabev15

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-20-2012 21:24:54 | More by Yabev15

stonequarrywest

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

02-08-2012 02:36:08 | More by stonequarrywest

phingdong

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

01-31-2012 16:18:18 | More by phingdong

jsilva

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

01-13-2012 14:00:50 | More by jsilva

monsterzero

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

01-05-2012 03:27:35 | More by monsterzero

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

01-04-2012 12:39:05 | More by rowingbrewer

spycow

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%

12-13-2011 23:33:14 | More by spycow

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

12-04-2011 17:25:20 | More by xnicknj

JAHMUR

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

11-24-2011 02:50:34 | More by JAHMUR

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle shared with Adam and Jeff.

Near black with a light tan head that fades to a thin collar with minimal lacing. Roasty, slightly acidic, burnt coffee aroma with mild bourbon barrel sweetness. Flavor is fairly light, dominated by roast and stale coffee with a mild, sweet vanilla, molasses and bourbon finish. Smooth, medium bodied, light carbonation. I enjoy regular Earl much more than this iteration of the BA version as the barrel doesn't seem to be very well integrated with the beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 15:06:10 | More by yourefragile

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +22.9%

11-23-2011 01:01:24 | More by Rochefort10nh

aapp

Vermont

5/5  rDev +22.9%

11-15-2011 23:04:46 | More by aapp

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -1.7%

11-15-2011 17:52:26 | More by HopStoopid120

whartontallboy

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%

11-15-2011 01:35:40 | More by whartontallboy